Field
This application presents a method for the surface treatment of objects utilizing thermal plasma, including cascade plasma, and a wrap, such as tape or foil, where the tape or foil attracts the specific part of the plasma which produces a heat and other properties necessary to produce the desired treatment. The specific surface treatment may include, but is not limited to, hard-facing, brazing, welding, other types of joining operations, glass bending, shaping or forming, glass texturing, coating and surface reconditioning.
Prior Art
Past and current heat treatment methods used for processes including hardening, curing, annealing, normalizing, melting, peening and coating often require long heat-up and hold times due the nature of the heat source or types, such as, for example, induction heating. Dwell times up to, and at, temperature are, at times, longer than is necessary. These long dwell times lead to oxidation and discoloration problems associated with work pieces as well as general inefficiency of the process itself. Other heat treatment methods which employ combustion or open flames are environmentally unfriendly and are generally hazardous and energy inefficient. Often combustion flames introduce impurities as well.
Presently, the energy inefficiency of many heat treatment methods is due to lengthy ramp-up and hold times as well as heat losses caused by the design and construction of equipment and manner of operation. Substantial fuel and heat losses occur during flame or combustion methods and their usage is limited to specific materials and processes.